History 4805E: Warfare the HISTORY of the U.S
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Western University – Department of History 2014-2015 History 4805E: Warfare THE HISTORY OF THE U.S. NAVY USS Wedderburn firing, August 1964 U.S Navy Photo #1107281 Wednesdays 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Location: Stevenson Hall 3166 Instructor: Professor Aldona Sendzikas Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:30-3:30 p.m (or by appointment) Office: Lawson Hall 1222 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (519) 661-2111 x84377 1 Course Description: This year, the focus of HIS4805E will be the history of the United States Navy. We will examine: the origins and structure of the USN, and its role from the Revolutionary War period to the present, with an emphasis on key developments, military conflicts, and individuals; the historiography of U.S. naval history. We will evaluate the various ways that naval history has been recorded, including: official USN records, memoirs, historical accounts written by active and former USN personnel, historical accounts written by civilian historians, USN publications (such as manuals, commemorative publications, recruitment literature), public history sources (such as naval museums and monuments), and naval art; naval customs and culture; specific segments of the naval services, such as the Submarine Service, the Marine Corps, and the SEALs; specific issues related to USN history, such as: women and minorities in the Navy; naval training; command and leadership. Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, the student: will be familiar with the history and role of the USN, from its inception to the present; will have a greater understanding of the significance of sea power in American history, and of the role of the USN within the larger context of the American armed forces; will be acquainted with the historiography of the USN and its evolution, and will have evaluated the various ways naval history has been recorded, interpreted, and preserved; will have had the opportunity to locate, examine, and critically analyze a variety of primary sources in American naval history; will have developed a research question and corresponding historical argument, supported the argument with evidence from a combination of primary and secondary sources, and presented it in written form; will have practiced and improved oral communication skills through classroom discussion and presentations. Required Texts: 1) Nathan Miller, The U.S. Navy: A History (3rd edition), (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1997) 2) Anthony Cowden, The Naval Institute Almanac of the U.S. Navy (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2005) 3) Craig L. Symonds, Decision at Sea: Five Naval Battles that Shaped American History (NY: Oxford University Press, 2005) 4) HIS 4805E Course Pack 5) Occasional online readings, as noted in the Class Schedule below 2 6) One novel (naval fiction) of the student’s choosing. (A list of suggested titles will be provided in class.) 7) ***Texts 1 through 4 are available for purchase at the Western Bookstore. Symonds’ Decision at Sea is also available online, through the Western Libraries website course reserves. There are also 2 hard copies of Miller’s book on one-day reserve at Weldon Library.*** Each class will usually consist of a seminar-style discussion of the assigned readings for that day, as well as a lecture providing the historical context for the readings. Most weeks will also include one, or sometimes two, student presentation(s). Assignments and marks distribution: Primary document analysis (6-8 pages in length) 15% Presentation (approx. 10 minutes, + 5 minutes for questions/discussion), and written summary of presentation (5-6 pages in length). 15% Proposal and preliminary bibliography for research essay 10% Research essay (15-20 pages in length; on a topic of the student’s choosing, in consultation with the instructor): 20% Final exam (covering all lectures, readings, and class discussions; to be held during the April final exam period): 20% Class participation: 20% Further instructions regarding the above assignments will be provided in class. Written assignments must be submitted in paper form to the instructor at the start of class on the dueClass date, participation: and in electronic form to www.turnitin.com by the same date and20% time. (Use the assignment submission link on the OWL course website.) Late assignments: A late penalty of 5% for the first day, and 2% for each day after the first day (including Saturdays and Sundays) will be incurred for all written work submitted after the due date and time. Late papers should be submitted to the History Department (Lawson Hall 2201) drop box, as well as electronically to www.turnitin.com. Keep a copy of each of your written assignments until you receive the grade for it. 3 Please note that papers submitted on the due date but after the start of class (11:30 a.m.) will be considered late and subject to a 2% penalty. Dates for presentations will be determined after the first class session. In the case of absence on an assigned presentation date, the student will have the choice of either re-scheduling the presentation to the soonest available date, or forfeiting the marks for the presentation. Missing a presentation date due to an unauthorized absence (i.e., no documentation from Academic Counseling) will result in a late penalty of 5% per week. Please note, however, that HIS 4805E is an essay course. According to Western’s Academic Handbook, an essay course “…must be so structured that the student is required to demonstrate competence in essay writing to pass the course.” In this class, that means that students must complete and submit all three writing assignments (i.e., primary document analysis, presentation summary, and research essay) in order to pass the course. Expectations: Regular attendance. Completion of all assigned readings and active, informed participation in class discussion, based on those readings. Courtesy and respect towards other members of the class. Be present! Turn off cell phones and other technological devices. Laptops are allowed if they are used to take notes or to access online assigned readings; they are NOT to be used in class for any other purpose. All of the above points will be taken into account by the instructor when assigning participation marks. Policy on Absences and Extensions: Students should read carefully the Faculty of Social Science “Instructions for Students Registered in Social Science Who are Unable to Write Tests or Examinations or Submit Assignments as Scheduled.” They are appended to this syllabus. Pressures of work or computer/printer difficulties do not constitute acceptable reasons for an extension. If you require an extension or other type of academic accommodation, for either medical or non- medical reasons, contact Academic Counseling. Students are reminded that academic accommodation on medical grounds can in most instances only be granted if supported by a University of Western Ontario Student Medical Certificate. This form can be accessed at the following website: https://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/index.cfm, or can be picked up at the Academic Counseling Office in the student’s home faculty. (For Social Science students: SSC 2105.) Further detail on this policy can be found at this same website. 4 Statement on Academic Offences: “Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.” Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious academic issue which can result in failure (i.e., a grade of zero) on an assignment or more serious penalties. Plagiarism is reported to the Department Chair and the Faculty Dean. Students may be asked to submit research notes, and so students should keep all research notes for all assignments until after they have obtained their final grade in the course. A copy of the Faculty of Social Science’s policy on plagiarism is attached to this syllabus. Students should familiarize themselves with this policy. Note: "All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).” [http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/exam/crsout.pdf] Final Examination: There will be a three hour final exam for this course, which will take place during the April exam period (April 11-30th, 2015). Students are advised not to make travel plans or other commitments for this period until the university publishes the exam schedule. Support Services The website for the UWO Office of the Registrar is: http://www.registrar.uwo.ca. UWO has many services and programs that support the personal, physical, social, and academic needs of students, in a confidential environment. o The Student Development Centre (SDC) has trained staff and an array of services to help students achieve their personal, academic and professional goals. See: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca. o The Services for Students with Disabilities office (SSD) has staff members who specialize in assisting students with various disabilities to adjust to the university environment. See: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca/ssd. o For information related to accessibility, including accessible routes, temporary service disruptions, and university policies related to accessibility issues, see: http://www.accessibility.uwo.ca/students/. 5 CLASS SCHEDULE Week 1 (Sept. 10th): Welcome aboard!: An introduction to the U.S. Navy. Review of syllabus. Week 2 (Sept. 17th): Naval historiography. Naval history sources. Readings to be completed for today’s class: From the course pack: Russell F.